Laboratories of Enzymology and Chemistry of Proteins

Year
3
Academic year
2024-2025
Code
01004605
Subject Area
Biochemistry
Language of Instruction
Portuguese
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
Duration
SEMESTRIAL
ECTS Credits
6.0
Type
Compulsory
Level
1st Cycle Studies

Recommended Prerequisites

Chemistry and Biochemistry of  Proteins, Nucleic Acides and Lipids.

Teaching Methods

This curricular unit consists of 8 introduction modules of theoretical-practical classes and laboratorial classes and a project to be intensively developed in four weeks. For the introduction modules, students are provided with summary information of the theme, the technology to be used and 2 or 3 key-words to be used in an internet research that must be carried out before the class. The project consists of the elaboration and autonomous implementation of a protocol for the purification of an enzyme that will be drawn from a previously presented list.

Learning Outcomes

The main objective of this curricular unit is the acquisition of technical and practical knowledge of extraction, purification and characterization of enzymes.

Students are expected to acquire essential knowledge of the diversity of enzymatic activities and the physical-chemical characterization of biomolecules.

Students are also expected to:

-apply the acquired knowledge in the design and assessment of the processes of proteins’ purification and in the characterization of enzymatic activity.

-enhance their  skills of organization, planning, and critical thinking in the laboratory

 -enhance their skills in processing, analysis, presentation and discussion of experimental data.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1.Research of enzymatic activity in raw extracts. Enzyme assay design

2.Exploration of biomolecules’ physical-chemical properties in the process of separation

2.1.Molecular Exclusion Chromatography: principles and applications

2.2.Ion Exchange Chromatography.Principles. Anionic and cationic exchangers

2.3.Affinity Chromatography.Principles. Affinity, pseudo-affinity

2.4.Hydrophobic Interaction Chromatography. Principles and applications

2.4.1.FPLC and HPLC. Applications

2.5.Native electrophoresis and electrophorese in the presence of dissociating substances. Two-dimensional electrophoresis. Applications

2.6.Electrotransference, immunodetection and immunoprecipitation. Principles and applications

3.Detection and analysis of chemical modifications in proteins

4.Characterization and enzymatic activity. Determination of kinetic parameters Activation and Inhibition

5.Design and implementation of enzyme purification protocols. Evaluation of efficiency of the purification protocol

Head Lecturer(s)

Paula Cristina Veríssimo Pires

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Exam: 25.0%
Project: 25.0%
Presentation and discussion of experimental results: 25.0%
Report of experimental results: 25.0%

Bibliography

R.K. Scopes ( 1994) Protein Purification: Principles and practice, 3rd ed., Springer-Verlag, New York.

 

Base de dados de enzimas.* :BRENDA

http://www.brenda-enzymes.info/

*consulta directa para servidores associados a establecimentos do ensino superior

 

Base de Dados de proteases: MEROPS

http://merops.sanger.ac.uk/

 

Base de dados de estrutura molecular de proteinas: PDB Protein Data Bank

http://www.rcsb.org/pdb/home/home.do